You've heard it since you were a child-breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Some may argue with that statement but it is true when you are on a diet. This Atkins-friendly breakfast treat, beef huevos rancheros on Canadian bacon, has less than 2 grams of carbohydrates and is a delicious way to start your day. You can make up a larger batch of the ground beef with spices and have some ready for another morning.
This recipe calls for scrambled eggs, but you can use fried or poached. It's simply your preference, the taste doesn't change. Mint can be exchanged for the cilantro.
The directions for this dish call for scrambled eggs, but you can also serve them fried or poached.
In a greased medium skillet, brown the beef over medium heat.
Stir in chiles, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook 5- 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
Lay the Canadian bacon slices over the top of the beef mixture to warm. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
In another skillet, scramble eggs until firm. This can also be a good use of an electric griddle or skillet. Alternatively, pan fry each egg and place it on top of the beef mixture in step 5.
Place 1 piece of Canadian bacon on each plate, top with a quarter of the beef mixture and a quarter of the eggs. Sprinkle with cheese and chopped cilantro
Simple and delicious! Thanks to the good folks at Atkins for making this recipe available.
It can appear that losing weight will take forever. Having motivation when beginning a weight loss routine is easy. However, keeping the motivation high after a few weeks can be very difficult. Is there a reason why that doesn't happen for everybody? Some people lose weight and keep it off. Why is it that they are successful and how can you replicate their results?
It All Starts With A Diet Plan
Setting clearly defined goals is one of the most important steps in weight loss. Are you looking to shed lots of pounds, or do you just want to reclaim clothing that has not been worn for many years? Is it that you want to be healthier and feel fitter? You should set a weight loss goal to give yourself something to achieve.
Check and document your progress on a weekly basis. You should only weigh yourself once a week and keep track of your weigh-ins. Keep a food log in the journal of everything you consume each day. When you have a record of what you are eating, you will be more mindful about choosing healthier options for your meals. Keeping track of your meals and activities is necessary for any diet or lifestyle change to work.
Food decisions that are last minute are most of the time the result of being overly hungry. Do not wait until you are extremely hungry to eat. Create your menus in advance, and never be without healthy snack foods. Bring a healthy meal from home instead of going out for lunch. In addition to saving money, this will help keep calories to a minimum. You're much more likely to break your diet if you've gone a long time without eating. Eat before you're extremely hungry to avoid the trap of overeating. You should try to keep healthy snacks available and have all of your meals planned out. Instead of eating out, take your lunch with you. This will be easy both on your wallet and on your calorie count.
Weight Loss Requires Changes
The key to losing weight has never been a secret. It may be easier said than done, but all you need to do is eat healthy and begin a fitness plan and the pounds will start coming off. It is important that you exercise three times a week or more. If working out this often is difficult for you to do, then you must ensure you do exercises that you love. Meeting up with friends for a walk is a great way to socialize and get in some exercise. Enjoy your workout in nature if you can. Hiking trails and bike paths offer some great outdoor space for working out by walking, biking, inline skating or even skateboarding. Sign up for a class and learn a new high-energy style if you enjoy dancing.
Throw away any unhealthy food that is found in your cupboards. Remove all unhealthy choices and you will not give into temptation. This will make it difficult to have the foods that are bad for you within easy access, which means you will not eat as much of them.
Learn more about this weight loss waist trimming belt by clicking HERE.
Invite a friend to workout with you. In many cases, if there is nobody to keep us accountable, we tend to slack off and neglect what is best for us. Working out with friends helps keep you motivated to keep going, especially when you start feeling fatigued or discouraged. You and your friend can encourage one other as well as give advice when asked.
Dieting can seem lonely and a bit overwhelming. Share your goals and plans with others, they can encourage you and may join you. Lifestyle change sounds daunting but it can be done and the results are worth the effort. Lost weight, better overall health and more energy are long term benefits that all can enjoy.
About 40 years ago, Robert Atkins created a low carb diet that still carries his name today. The Atkins diet is one of the most well known, and most followed, diets that people work with. While it was considered a fad diet to begin with, it is now regularly recommended by doctors and nutritionists as a good plan to follow when you want to lose weight.
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Atkins Versus Mediterranean Diet
While both diets pay attention to carbohydrate intake, the Atkins diet allows red meat and dairy while a Mediterranean diet concentrates more on fruits, vegetables and fish. Nutritionally a Mediterranean plan is more balanced and probably more heart-healthy, but Atkins users have had rapid and noticeable weight loss. The plans are very different in their meal planning.
Low carb diets, like Atkins, are designed to change how your body gets its energy. Usually your body will burn carbs to produce energy, not fat. By starving your body of carb, your system turns to fat for energy and this is where weight loss will come from.
Studies have shown that this type of diet can be more successful with long term weight loss than just counseling and behavior management. It, like most diets, works best with an exercise program started at the same time. This type of weight loss tends to be more permanent and the health benefits are more noticeable.
Health Benefits
Generally, excess weight is a negative for your body. Too much weight can lead to high blood pressure (and hyper tension), heart problems and the possible onset of diabetes. Low carb diets like Atkins have been successful in reducing hyper-tension and helping to reduce or eliminated diabetes symptoms. This diet also reduces sugar intake and benefits from this are also seen early in the diet process.
Overall energy levels tend to increase as your body burns fat instead of carbohydrates. Adding an exercise program helps as well to increase energy and improve your general health. Because of some of the restrictions on certain types of food, it is recommended that you consult with your health professional and pay close attention to your vitamin intake.
What Can You Eat?
Atkins diets start off with a lot of green vegetables, meat and dairy. This may sound wonderful but it does require some discipline in meal preparation. Most dairy is allowed (milk, cheese, butter) as well as red meat and fish. There are no starches (a key source of carbs) so you will be giving up bread, rice, pasta and potatoes.
Surprisingly, some desserts are allowed with this diet, but not the usual suspects. No cake or doughnuts, no cookies or ice cream. There are some interesting dessert options using ricotta and sugar substitute that can really help to handle any sugar cravings. Some of the cookbooks we reviewed have wonderful salad and entree recipes that will help keep boredom from setting in.
Ready Made Foods
Following an Atkins diet can be easier than some other diet plans due to the wide variety of ready made food options that you can pick up at your local grocery store. Some of the meal selections are very good and the snack and drink options are spectacular. The protein-rich shake is thick, creamy and can be served cold. The snack bars are great treats to have on hand. Low in carbs, they help to satisfy not only any hunger pangs but also to help with those times you just have to have a sweet.
Does This Diet Work?
Yes, but like any diet it will take work and discipline. Many people like Atkins because so many of their favorite foods (steak, hamburger, cheese) are allowed. Some find the meals dull and heavy, it does take some creativity to plan meals that have flavor and variety. At the start, your body goes into a ketosis state. This can lead to some indigestion and even bad breath. This state passes soon but it can be a few days before all the symptoms disappear. Nutritionally the diet is not as sound as a Mediterranean or DASH diet but careful planning and the addition of vitamins can offset any shortcomings.
Check and document your progress on a weekly basis. You should only weigh yourself once a week and keep track of your weigh-ins. Keep a food log in the journal of everything you consume each day. When you have a record of what you are eating, you will be more mindful about choosing healthier options for your meals. Keeping track of your meals and activities is necessary for any 
Atkins diets start off with a lot of green vegetables, meat and dairy. This may sound wonderful but it does require some discipline in meal preparation. Most dairy is allowed (milk, cheese, butter) as well as red meat and fish. There are no starches (a key source of carbs) so you will be giving up bread, rice, pasta and potatoes.
Surprisingly, some desserts are allowed with this 
